Improvement in ladders



@uiten tutes @anni @frn BENJAMIN F. TURNER, OF BRIDGETON, NEW JERSEY.- zelempatem No. 66,655, dated .my 9, 1867.

IMPRVEMENT IN LADDERS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN F. TURNER, of Bridgeton, in the county of Cumberland, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ladders; and I do hereby declaro that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being hadV to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication, in which- Figure-lrepresents my improved ladder extended at full length. i

Figure 2,1s a longitudinal section, taken in the line x', iig. 1Q

Figure 3 is a partial longitudinall section showing the connection of two lengths enlarged.

Figure 4 isan enlarged front view of the same parts partly in se'ction.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the same in a different position.

Similarletters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in ladders for connecting several short lengths of separate ladders in such manner' that they may be readily and safely extended, to be used as one long ladder for a high elevation, or may be doubled upon each other, to be used as a scaffold or 'afs a stage ladder,- and thusbe employed for various useful purposes and folded together, as desired.

Al A2 A3 represent separate ladders or lengths, which may be used singly or be connected to form one com bined ladder, tube elevated in a straight line with other, or placed at di`erent angles to be usedV for different purposes. The two outside lengths may be placed perpendicnlarly to support the middle lengthhorizontally,A in which position they serve as a sca'old, which may be readily elevated and will be very strong and convenient, or they will form a step-ladder, by placing one end length on the ground, and raising the other two lengths to form a triangle. These several positions in which my improved ladder may be placed easily render it extremely useful and convenient for many different puposes. The sides a a and the rounds b are made and connected in the ordinary manneiymy invention consisting -in the devices for connecting and holding together rmly the several lengths or separate ladders in combination. The' sides of the bott-om length Al are made wide enough apart to go outside of the sides of the length A2, and those of `the length A2 are made wide enough apart to go outside of ithose of A3, as shown in iig. 1. The wider ends of the lengths are strengthened with iron plates c c, and slots el d are made inthem longitudinally to allow a cross-rod, e, that passes through the narrower ends to traverse far enough for coupling and uncoupling the extremity of the narrower end with and from the first round in the length o f the wider end, by means of recesses kk in the extremities of the two sides, which fit over the round, asshown in the several drawings, and particulary in the enlarged sectional view, fig. 3. The crossrod e hasv a head on one end, and a thumb-nut g screwed on the other end, by'which the two connected ends of the ladders are drawn together to. be firm and strong. The rod e may be taken out and put in readily in a few moments, and thus the different lengths may be used separately or combined with each other, as hereinbefore described. The lower end of the length A1 is provided with extension-legs z h, by which the combined ladders, when elevated, may4 be steadied by opening them like a step-ladder. i

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The arrangement of three separate ladders or le'ngthsfconnected together with cross-rodse working in slots d d in the\ends'and recesses la 7c at the extremities, tted on the first round b, to be employed in the' several applications and positions, separately or combined, in the manner herein described.

BENJAMIN F. TURNER.

Witnesses:

Josnrn BounEN, J. N. BOBINE. 

